Entrepreneurial Orientation, Market Orientation and Innovation Capability: the effects on University Spin-Offs

The aim The aim of the paper is to analyze the dynamic by which entrepreneurial orientation, market orientation and innovation capability affects the performance of university spin-offs (USO. Specifically, the paper analyses the effects of entrepreneurial orientation (ENTEROR), and two components of market orientation (MO), namely competitor orientation (COMPOR) and interfunctional coordination (INTERCOOR) on innovation capability (INNOVCAP) and customer orientation (CUSTOR) and their mediating role on USO performance. Contribution Our findings contribute to theoretical development in several ways. Within the field of studies concerning the USO performance, this paper considers that the joined analysis of the ENTEROR, MO variables and INNOVCAP can contribute to better explain the USO performance and the relationship between USO innovativeness and spin off performance. Moreover, as suggested in the entrepreneurship literature, this research confirms that the relationship between ENTEROR and performance is more complex than a simple direct relationship. The methodology To address the research propositions and hypotheses stated in the previous paragraphs, we surveyed a cross-section of 174 managers from 162 Italian university spin off. The mail survey has been used because existing empirical research has generally employed the field study approach to provide an in depth analysis on only a limited number of spin off. A survey approach aims to complement these studies by collecting information from a broader cross-section of USO. The research has been carried out through a questionnaire using a web survey during the 2010. Results This study develop a conceptual model to examine the role of CUSTOR and INNOVCAP in the relationship between ENTEROR, COMPOR and INTERCOOR and USO performance. Our results show that this capabilities play an important role to pursue a competitive advantage and show that ENTEROR, COMPOR and INTERCOOR constitute factor antecedents of USO innovativeness and its customer orientation. Specifically, we find ENTEROR the dominant factor responsible for the mediating role of INNOVCAP capability. While, COMPOR and INTERCOOR are the dominant factors for the mediating role of CUSTOR capability.